Witness
by Chilly Penguin
Summary: What happens when Val stumbled upon a crime by accident? What will she do? Read to find out! T/V focus. First fanfic so please review! *STORY COMPLETED!* (I warn you, I ended it it very cornballish!) Oh and if you are an O-Town fan, please read my s
1. The Call

~Hey peeps! This is my first fanfic so you gotta review it, k? Oh, and I warn you, there will be a lot of chapters, but   
believe me, they are gonna be short.~  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: "The Call"  
  
  
  
[Beep beep beep!]  
  
Valerie Lanier was just finishing cheerleading practice when her beeper went off, signalling that she was to join the rest of   
the EMS squad, Tyler Connell, Hank Beecham, and Jamie Waite. They were needed ASAP for an emergency call.  
  
She jumped into her car and raced to the EMS station. Once there, she hopped into the ambulance, changing into her  
official EMT uniform on the way.  
  
They wre needed at the grocery store. I know this is extremely rare, but a couple of pickle jars had falled off their shelves  
and a man had slipped on them and hit his head on the tile floor. (Very ironic, I know!)  
  
Val, Tyler, Hank, and Jamie made it to the grocery store in one minute flat. They found the man in a sitting position on   
the floor, clutching his head, and groaning very loudly.   
  
"Hello, sir, my name is Jamie. This is Val, Hank and Tyler," he indroduced. "We're EMTs and we are here to help you."  
  
"How're you feeling, sir?" Hank asked as he checked all the vital signs.  
  
"A little dizzy," the man replied.   
  
"Okay then, sir. You are going to be just fine," Tyler Connell assured him. "I'm just gonna need your name so I can fill  
out the release form."  
  
He thought fast. I can't just give them my name, he thought frantically. Um...Adam....Wood! That'll be safe. "Adam Wood,"  
he said. That's safe he thought again, quite satisfied with himself for thinking so fast.   
  
"Okay, thank you sir," Tyler said. "Just go home and get some rest and you'll feel much better," he advised.  
  
"Um, thanks." Wood said, still sitting there rubbing his aching head.  
  
The EMS squad left the grocery store.  
  
Five minutes later, Wood left the grocery store and headed home.  
  
~*~  
  
"Man, that guy was WEIRD!" Tyler excaimed back at the EMS station. "The guy BARELY hits his head on the floor,   
and he can't even remember his own fricken name!" He thought for another moment, then repeated: "That guy was   
WEIRD!"  
  
"Tyler. We KNOW! You've only said that about a hundred times since we left that place!" Val said, laughing.  
  
"Yeah, I know. Sorry. There's just somethin about that guy that's weird, you know?" Tyler said.  
  
"But Val, you HAVE to admit that guy was really acting strange, and that it looks to me as if it weren't from hitting his   
head," Hank said pointedly.  
  
"Yes, I agree with both of you. He was acting strange but maybe the guy can't handle pain and he went into mild  
shock or something, I mean, who knows!?!" Val said.  
  
"Hey, it's quittin time guys!" Brooke Lanier walked into the EMS common room.  
  
Jamie Waite finally roused from the deep sleep he had been in.   
  
"Hey look at that! Amazing! Jamie's awake! Let's alert the media!" Brooke said, rolling her eyes.   
  
She had just come in the room to get her sister Val.  
  
"Alright, Brooke. Let's go home." Val hadn't realized until now just how very tired she was, and she wanted more  
than anything right now to just go to bed.  
  
  
  



	2. Trouble

~Hey peeps. On to the second chapter!~  
  
  
  
Chapter 2: "Trouble"  
  
  
  
"Val!"  
  
"Yeah mom?"  
  
"Honey, I've got to go to work. I'm already late. Can you pick some groceries for me?"  
  
"Sure, mom."   
  
"The list is on the counter," she said. "Love ya, bye."  
  
"Okay, bye luv ya!"  
  
~*~  
  
Val Lanier silently stepped into the grocery store.  
  
Funny, she thought. There's no bell on the door. Okay, no what's funny is that's the first thought  
that comes to mind as I am entering this store.  
  
Out of nowhere, she heard a gun shot ring through the sore and what followed was piercing and   
ear shattering scream.  
  
Utterly terrified, Val ran into the room nearest her, the door slightly ajar.  
  
The screams had now turned to moans; now, moans that could hardly be heard over the pounding  
of Val's heart.  
  
Footsteps began coming nearer and nearer. She began trembling all over. Please let him not   
know I'm here, she prayed silently.  
  
But wait! She got a good look at the culprit! Imagine that!  
  
Oh my God! Val thought, just slightly panicking. That's the guy me and the squad treaded   
yesterday!  
  
And then he was gone.  
  
She waited for a few minutes and slowly walked out of the closet she'd been hiding in. She   
rushed over toward the moans.  
  
She bent down over the clerk and felt his pulse.   
  
"Good, still breathing," she muttered to herself with relief.  
  
She got up and bolted to the telephone and dialed 911.  
  
"Hello, please state your emergancy," the operator requested.  
  
"I need the police and an ambulance right away! I just witnessed a shooting and robbery!" Val panted.  
  
"Alright, miss. And where are you at?"  
  
She gave the operator the name of the grocery store and the address.   
  
Val Lanier knelt beside the clerk again. She felt his pulse, but barely. "Hang in there," she whispered   
somewhat pleadingly.  
  
~*~  
  
A few minutes later, the police arrived at the scene of the crime, along with the ambulance.  
  
Luckily, no one from her squad was on duty. She DID NOT want to talk about what had just   
happened with them yet. She needed some time to think.  
  
"Miss, I'm going to have to ask you your name," a burly policeman, who introduced himself  
as Detective Jim Anchor said authoritively.  
  
"Valerie Lanier," Val said meekly.  
  
He opened his note pad and jotted her name down.  
  
"I know this experience had been extremely traumatic for you, but you are the one and only   
witness-besides the clerk, of course-who happened to be unfortunate enough to be here at this   
place and time, and be able to tell us exactly what occured here," Detective Anchor told her.  
  
"Okay," Val whispered. "Ask away."  
  
"First of all, when did you get here?"  
  
"Approximately 3:30 pm."  
  
"Why were you here, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
"My mom had to go to work and needed me to pick up some groceries." Val confirmed.  
  
"Do you know by any chance if the culprit saw you?" Detective Anchor asked.  
  
"Hmmm...not that I know of. But, I did get a good look at him from the closet over there I was   
hiding in, AND I happen to know his name. You see, I'm on the Kingsport EMS squad, and he-  
I have no clue how-tripped on pickle jars that fell off shelves yesterday, and he hit his head on the   
floor. In this very place, come to think of it. I was on the squad that treated him yesterday.   
Anyway, this was all a long way of saying that I know the name he gave up was Adam Wood,   
Detective," Val rattled off.  
  
"Thank you. Now, if we need you, we'll give you a ring, and if you remember anything else, don't   
hesitate to call us. In the meantime, we are going to run a check on this...Adam Wood and see what  
we can gather," Anchor said.  
  
"Okay," she said quietly. She had a sense of dread coming over her. Then she flashed him a little  
reassuring-type smile. For what reason, she didn't know. He should have been the one comforting her.  
  
"Oh, and Miss Lanier-" she turned around. "I will be calling your parents to let them in on what   
happened. Mind telling me their names?"  
  



	3. What's Happening?

  
  
Chapter 3: "What's happening?"  
  
  
  
Valerie Lanier walked in her house, and went straight to her room. She felt safe there. She sat on her bed  
and silently began reviewing what she had just witnessed.  
  
Just the fact that she had witnessed a major crime, was way too hard for her to believe. It had all seemed  
so incredibly unreal to her.  
  
But BECAUSE of the fact that it still seemed so unreal, the thing that was bothering her the most was NOT   
because of what she had seen. Instead, it was what she HADN'T seen that was the problem. She still   
wasn't sure whether or not Wood had seen her at the grocery store or not.  
  
Just then, the phone rang loudly, pulling her out of thought.   
  
"Hello?" Val said.  
  
"Val-l-l...." The raspy voice could barely be heard; Val had to strain to hear them. "You saw me Val."  
  
OHMIGOD! IT'S HIM!! How does he know my name? Oh, Hank said it yesterday when we treated him. DUH.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Val screamed.  
  
"Just don't say anything about what you saw today, or-" he paused to emphasize the fact that he was   
completely and utterly serious. "-you will pay!"  
  
Val Lanier slammed down the reciever and began to sob uncontrollably.  
  
~*~  
  
"Where is she?" Tyler Connell wondered aloud.  
  
Val was supposed to be at the station over an hour ago.  
  
"That's not like Val to be late," he declared to Hank and Jamie. "I'm starting to worry. This IS NOT natural."  
  
"Then MAYBE-since you are so worried and all-call her," Hank and Jamie replied semi-sarcastically at the   
exact same time.   
  
"MAYBE I will," Tyler replied, getting increasingly worried.   
  
He couldn't let his true feelings out about Val, though. He had to be careful. Tyler had kept it secret from   
everybody just how much he actually cared about her. He had liked her A LOT for what seemed like forever.  
Being on the EMS squad with her for long, tiring hours, and getting to know her had only enhanced his   
feelings for her.  
  
He picked up the reciever and dialed Valerie Lanier's number.  
  
~*~  
  
Val's sobs had exhausted her so much she had eventually fallen into a dreamless sleep.   
  
The telephone ringing shook her out of sleep. She sat up boltright and stared at the phone, contemplating  
whether or not to answer it.  
  
After a few more rings, she decided not to answer it just in case it was Adam Wood again with those  
terrifying threats.  
  
And with that thought, Val amost instantly fell asleep again.  
  
~*~  
  
With a frustrated groan, Tyler replaced the telephone reciever. "Damn it! Where the hell is she?" he   
muttered angrily at himself. His concern was getting the best of him. "Hank! Jamie! Val's not answering!"  
  
"Since you are soooo worried about her,the why don't you go over to her house and see if she's there.  
Maybe she fell asleep and didn't hear the phone ring or something and maybe that's why she's late, "   
Hank suggested. "We haven't had a call all day, and if we do I'll beep you, okay?"  
  
Ty thought for a moment. It WOULD be great to have a few minutes alone with Val. But what if something's   
wrong? What if she'd hurt?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~Keep readin peeps and make sure you tell me what you think!~ 


	4. Secrets

  
  
  
Chapter Four: "Secrets"  
  
  
Valerie Lanier was awakened by the steady but insistent ringing of the doorbell.  
  
She moaned as she got up and went to the door.   
  
She started to open the door, and for a split second realized it could be Adam Wood.  
But, she rationalized, if it were indeed Wood, he would have already burst into her   
home. So, she opened the door the rest of the way.  
  
There stood Tyler Connell, a look of concern apparant on his handsome face.  
  
A mixture of surprise, pleasure, and dimay coursed through her body all at one time.  
  
"Tyler. Hi. What's wrong?" she whispered uncertainly.  
  
"Um...you just kinda were supposed to be at the station over an hour ago and I got  
worried when you didn't show up." He paused, but still she had no time to answer his  
question. "And why didn't you answer the phone when I called? Better yet, Val, I could  
ask you the exact same question: What's wrong?" He demanded all at once.  
  
Val couldn't believe she forgot about being at the EMS station today.   
  
Their eyes met for an instant and left as quickly as they had met.  
  
Tyler continued when she didn't answer him. "Val, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong. Really," she said quietly, and quite unsure herself if she were uttering  
the truth. "Why?"  
  
"You look like you've been crying."  
  
"Oh." Val looked down at the ground.  
  
"Val? Is there something you want to tell me?" Tyler questioned.  
  
Val gazed intently at Tyler. How she wanted to tell him what had happened, and to kiss him,  
and to let him hold her close. But, since the phone call, she was too terrified of what would  
happen to utter one single syllable abou what had happened earlier in the day.  
  
She pretended to be thinking for a minute and then replied, ironically, somewhat wistfully,  
"Nope. Everything's just peachy." She gave him a reassuring, appreciative, and almost visibly  
loving smile.  
  
He returned the smile. "Well...okay. You coming to the station?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll meet you there."   
  
He smiled at her again. Then his smile vanished and he looked at her intently. "Val, I just  
want you to know that if you ever need me for anythign, you know I'll be here for you, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I do. Thanks Ty."   
  
Tyler went over to her an embraced her quickly. Val was a bit surprised, but recovered   
quickly enough to press this moment in her memory and to kiss him on the cheek.  
  
"See ya at the station."  
  
"Yep, bye Tyler." Val was so happy she almost danced.  
  
~*~  
  
Val went into her bedroom, changed into her Emergency Medical Technician uniform and  
marched out of the house and toward her car. She drove to the EMS station.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey Val. Long time no see!" Hank greeted as he watched her cross the room.  
  
"Yeah, Val. It's about time you got here!" Jamie joked.  
  
"Sorry guys, I fell asleep and didn't realize what time it was," Val apologized. "I guess I   
was more exhausted than I thought. She was rather unconvincing.  
  
"Okay. Did Tyler ever find you?" Hank questioned her.  
  
"Yeah. Why?" Val asked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh. Just wonderin."  
  
He's lying through his teeth, Val thought. "Hank, you're hinding somthing from me, aren't  
you?" Val said with accusing eyes.  
  
"Val, we could say the same about you from what Tyler tells us." Jamie broke in.  
  
Val stared at him. I can't believe he said something! I thought I could trust him, she fumed.  
  
As if on que, Tyler Connell strode into the EMT common room.  
  
Val whirled around, and looked at him, her crystal clear blue eyes beginning to turn firey,   
and then she stomped out.  
  
"What'd I do?!" Tyler exclaimed to no one in particular.  
  
Val completely ignored him, but Hank answered for her.  
  
"Shed hiding something," he said.  
  
"It's something serious, too. I've never seen 'Perfect Val' all in a tizzy about something before."  
Jamie added.  
  
"Great. Just great. Now she doesn't trust me." Tyler muttered scornfully under his breath. 


	5. Chilled to the Bone

Author's Note-Hey guys! First of all, I want to thank you for reading and reviewing the   
Chapters of my story and I am extremely happy you like it and think it is original, so I am   
going to keep on going with it. I did have one note that said I really crank out the chapters.   
Just to clear that up, I do have a life and I have had those four chapters typed for a long time.  
Plus, I am a fast typer, so to type one chapter takes me like five minutes. I finally decided   
I would post one chapter and if I got good feedback, then I would post the other three. Any-  
way, I'm sorry this took a little while. I've been kind of busy. My grandma just passed away  
and I haven't had a whole lot of time to write another chapter. Anyway, here's the new chapter.  
Hope you guys like it! Please review!   
  
  
  
Chapter 5: "Chilled to the Bone"  
  
  
  
Nothing out of the ordinary happened when she was on duty today. She was greatly relieved.   
They had had the normal spray of calls, although she had to admit that when this guy cut right  
through the palm of his hand, his wife was screaming, "Don't get blood on my brand-new white  
carpet!!" Otherwise nothing of any significance had happened.  
  
She was still fuming about the fact that Tyler had talked to Hank and Jamie about her, when  
it was really none of their business. She liked Jamie and Hank, but she thought she could   
trust Tyler to not say anything.   
  
She admitted to herself, though, that she had been waiting the rest of the day for him to   
apologize to her, but sadly, it never happened.  
  
  
She was off duty, and walking up the driveway toward her dark house. She knew that Brooke  
was spending the night at a friend's house and her mom was working late. She still half-expected  
her dad was coming come late, too, but he had died about a year ago after his second heart  
attack.  
  
She still cried about that . It broke her heart.  
  
She crept quietly up the steps toward her house being alert and listening for any unsual sounds.   
Whoever left the house last had forgotten to turn on the porch light, so Val jumbled a while with   
the key before VOILA! it was in and she was entering the darkness of her home.   
  
She tiptoed through her house, trying hard not to bump into anything until she could find a light.  
She found a lightswitch finally and flipped it on.   
  
What she saw in front of her chilled her very soul. Her face drained of all color. Every single  
item that she owned was strewn throughout her entire house. It looked as if someone had been in  
the house looking for something. She spotted one of Brooke's old, hairless Barbie dolls. It had  
a knife sticking out of it's ketchup-splattered chest. When Val Lanier saw a piece of paper beneath  
it on the carpet, she knelt down slowly to retrieve it.  
  
All is said was:  
"Say on word  
This could be you"  
  
Frightened beyond imagination, Val ignored the threat and sprinted across the living room and into   
kitchen where the telephone hung on the wall.  
  
She picked it up and dialed the number of the Kingsport Police Department and requested hurriedly to  
speak to Detective Jim Anchor, and she rattled off what had just occured.  
  
He said he'd be right over, and that he'd bring with him some investigators.  
  
They bid good-bye and hung up.  
  
Only moments later, the phone rang and Val stopped with a start.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
She heard crackling on the other line. "That could be you..." the voice said cruelly. "You haven't called  
the police on me have you?" He cackled wickedly.  
  
She slammed down the reciever with all her might and fainted.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~Hey guys! What do you think!? Getting better or getting boring? Please review!~Chilly Penguin 


	6. Protection

  
Chapter 6: "Protection"  
  
  
  
That's how they found her. Sprawled on the floor in the kitchen.   
  
Detective Jim Anchor tapped her angelic face lightly in the hope that he would wake her up.  
  
Val groaned quietly, then muttered, "What happened?" just seconds before her recent memories   
came rushing into her head like the tide.  
  
"Looks like you fainted," Jim Anchor said, stating the obvious. Val had to strain not to roll her   
eyes or make some sarcastic remark. "Mind telling us why?" Anchor continued.  
  
"I got another phone call," she whispered. "It said, 'that could be you.'" She pointed to the stabbed   
Barbie doll, then went on. "Then-it's like he's a stalker or something-he said 'you haven't called the  
police on me, have you?' It scared the crap out of me." Val finished.  
  
"Oh." Anchor paused. "When is your mother supposed to be home?"  
  
"Later," she replied simply. "She's staying late at work again. I haven't the slightest idea when  
she'll be home."  
  
"Any siblings?"  
  
"Just my sister Brooke, and she's at a friend's spending the night."  
  
Geez, what is this? An interrogation? Val thought with disdain. They should spend this much   
time poking around looking for Adam Wood so I can live my life  
  
"Alright, Miss Lanier. Make sure your sister and mother are hear tomorrow morning, bright and   
early. I have something tremendously important to discuss with you all."  
  
"Yes sir." She was so tired and dilerious, she had almost saluted him, as though she had gone back  
to her childhood days.  
  
~*~  
  
They were all sitting at the kitchen table when the doorbell rang at 9 the next morning.  
  
Val, Brooke, and their mom were still half-asleep and still in their pajamas.  
  
Val got up and let the detective in.  
  
The policeman introduced himself to Brooke and Joanne Lanier because he hadn't met them yet.  
  
"I'm sorry to say," he began, "that this man, and 'Adam Wood' has been found, but he doesn't fit the   
description you gave us. We are still searching for a description match. We have gathered, though,  
that he is dangerous to you, Valerie, and your family based on what occured here yesterday and the   
threatening phone calls."  
  
"So, what's going to happen?" asked Joanne Lanier.  
  
"Well, this is the hard part," he said slowly. "You have to go into the Witness Protection Program  
for a short period of time; till this guy is caught and put in prison. You will be given a new location,   
new names, entirely new identities. You can keep contact with no one from your 'old life' and you must  
STAY AWAY FROM KINGSPORT."  
  
"But the squad! It needs me!" Val suddenly blurted.  
  
"I'm sure you can joing the EMS in your new location, Val."  
  
"But where are we going to be located?" Joanne asked, in a voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"This is the only thing I do know," Detective Anchor said. "As far as I know, you will be relocated   
to Myrtle Beach."  
  
"Oh, that's cool." Brooke said in a monotone. "Not. This sucks."  
  
"You have a week to pack up anything you want and/or need to take with you. You cannot bring any   
furniture or anythin that can be traced back to you. Basically all you have to bring with you are close  
and personal items. Everything else will be provided for you. Also, before this week is over, you are to  
see the Witness Protection Program councelor to get your so-called 'new life'," said Anchor.  
  
And he left.  
  
~*~  
  
"I can't believe I witnessed that crime. I can't believe I've been threatened several times. I can't   
BELIEVE I have to leave my home, my friends, my family, MY LIFE. I am torturing Brooke and Mom,  
making them move with me..." Val ranted. "And worst of all, I'm talking to myself! I just can't believe  
this is happening to me!" she screamed, then lowered her voice and muttered frantically, "What to pack,  
what to pack??  
  
Then the thought occured to her. "Ohmigawd! I'll never see Tyler again!" Her face contorted into a   
grimace just at the thought. 


	7. Something's Wrong With Val

  
~What do you think so far? Please review!~Chilly P  
  
  
Chapter 7: "Something's Wrong With Val"  
  
~*~  
  
  
Tyler Connell watched, amazed, at the sight before him. Val Lanier, normally cool, calm and collected, was acting like a crazed woman! What in hell is wrong with her? What in her life is going on that is driving her absolutely crazy? And it's my fault she won't tell me what's going on. I didn't think that it was wrong to tell Hank and Jamie what's going on. Then, the idea hit him. This is a genius idea! Why didn't I think of it before? It would have spared him much of the pain her was experiencing now, that's for sure...  
  
~*~  
  
Catie Rauf was at her locker when Tyler rain up to her, panting like a dog.  
  
"Hey, buddy, what's the rush?" she asked, her voice dripping with the sarcasm that leaked onto her small smirk. She still could not understand what Val, her best friend, saw in this overachieving nerd. Then again, though she thought with a silent chuckle, Val IS an overachieving nerd.   
  
"Catie....do.....you know.....what's.....going on.....with Val?" he panted.  
  
"Um...I did notice she was acting even more wierd than normal.... (Look who's talking, Tyler thought. She's the one with green hair, not Val)..... but she hasn't said a word to me." Catie paused to make what she had to say more dramatic. "Besides, even if she HAD told me anything, my lips would be sealed. You know she'd kill me if I said anything to anyone, especially YOU."  
  
His interest was piqued. "Really? Why woulnd't she want me to know?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you talk to other people about her life," she replied smugly.  
  
"UGH! You know about that!?" Tyler exclaimed, exhasperated.  
  
"Yup. Val is one steamed chick, man."  
  
Tyler lowered his head and slumped away down the hall.  
  
Poor guy, Catie thought. He really does like Val, I know he does. And he's real concerned about her too. Too bad Val is too mad at him to notice. I'll have to get her to forgive the guy, she thought.  
  
~*~  
  
Wendnesday that same week Val and Brooke Lanier, along with their mother went to pay a visit to the man than would hand them their unexpected and unwelcome fresh start.  
  
The man introduced himself as Matt McCogner, and handed all three women a manila folder.  
  
"Each of those folders contains your new identity, location and the rules of the game. Now the Witness Protection Program can only help you if you cooperate," he lectured them. "No keeping in touch with friend, family, et cetra because that will totally blow your cover. I believe Detective Anchor has already been through the basics with you already," he said. "We want you out of Kingsport ASAP. It's too dangerous here. Make sure you don't notify one single, solitary soul that you are leaving for what we hope will only be a short time so you can move on with your own lives."   
  
Vals' new name was to be Haille Mathews. Brooke's, Kimberly, and their mother's Elizabeth. They were going to be living on Myrtle Beach in a beautiful beach house overlooking the ocean. Everything would have seemed absolutely perfect to an onlooker, except they didn't know the circumstances of the move and identity change, which entirely ruined the whole thought of the Laniers ever being happy there. And worst of all was-no Tyler! In Val Lanier's, now Haille Mathews's eyes, no one could ever replace Tyler Connell.  



	8. Fly

  
Chapter 8: "Fly"  
  
  
That Friday, Val Lanier glanced around the EMS station for the very last time. Hugged each of her unsuspecting friends good-bye. She had hugged a very surprised Tyler especially tight, whispering "I love you" in his ear before kissing him on the cheek and rushing out of his life for what seemed to be forever in her eyes. If only Tyler really knew, Val thought. As she continued walking through the almost empty parking lot toward her car, she felt as though her heart was a butterfly trying to fight it's way out of it's cocoon and fly away into the blue of the oh so inviting sky.  
  
~*~  
  
A stunned Tyler Connel stood in that same exact spot for a few moments, his hand resting on the place on his face where Val had kissed him. He was savoring the moment, pressing it into his memory.  
  
He found it extremely odd that she had hugged him so very tightly and had whispered those words in his ear-however lovely they were-although she had seemed to be quite angry at him up until that minute. He was so very confused...  
  
~*~  
  
"Well, that's the rest of it," Joanne said omitting the emotion from her voice.  
  
"Val blew out her breath in one sigh. "I still can't belive this is happening." Val said sadly.  
  
"I know honey, but we have to make the most of it for now." She kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Everything will be okay. Really." she assured her daughter.   
  
And so starts the journey to their new life in Myrtle Beach.  
  



	9. Standing at the Edge of the Earth

Author's Note: Okay guys, I've been writing this story for a while and just got it typed. I still have a lot more to go, but so far this is as far as I've gotten, and it may be a while before I can update. I've got a busy schedule ahead of me. So, keep the reviews comin'. I'm lovin them!~Chilly Penguin  
  
Chapter 9: "Standing at the Edge of the Earth"  
  
  
  
TWO WHOLE WEEKS LATER  
  
  
AN UTTERLY HEARTBROKEN and befuddled Tyler Connell could not keep his strong exterior present at the moment. After having tried to call Val Lanier about twenty times in a row about three times a day for the two weeks she had been missing was getting him increasingly depressed, for it seemed she had vanished off the earth.  
  
FOR THE LAST two weeks he couldn't get Val off his mind, or the continuous questions that kept flooding his mind.  
  
NOW I UNDERSTAND why she had acted like she had the last day I saw her, he pondered. I love you too, Val. I was just too stupid-and too stunned-to say or do anything back to you. And I will regret that till the day I die, he so solemnly swore to himself.  
  
~*~  
  
VAL LANIER AND her family had finally gotten somewhat settled in thier new life in Myrtle Beach, although it still was not the same as living in Kingsport.  
  
BROOKE AND VAL were now going to a new school, and they ahd made some acquaintences. But, Val terribly missed Tyler, missed being on the EMS squad. The EMS squad here had 'no use for teenagers' as they had in Kingsport. So, she had a lot of unwelcome time to think.  
  
WHICH WAS NOT a good thing. Every time Val sat alone, just pondering, a picture of a smiling Tyler Connell floated in front of her face, teasing her. She thought of just how much she loved him and of all the good times they had had together over the years. She especially reminiced about how much he had been there for her after her father had died. That had been so incredibly sweet.  
  
SHE WAS SHAKEN out of her reverie by the insistent ringing of the telephone that was placed beside her bed.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Haille?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"THIS IS JEREMY. You know, from English class."  
  
"OH YEAH. JEREMY. Hi," Val said.  
  
"HEY. SO I was wonderin, woudl yo like to go to dinner and a movie with me on Saturday? It'll be fun," he promised.  
  
SHE THOUGHT FOR a minute. Well, it will be good to get out of the house. He's good-looking, but not even close to Tyler. Oh, what am I thinking? I should get over him. Right? She should move on with her life. Or at least try.  
  
"Sure," she replied.   
  
"Great. Pick you up at 8?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Great. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
SHE HAD NO idea what was going to happen on Saturday night, but whatever it was, she had the gut feeling it wouldn't be very pleasant.  
  
~*~  
  
TYLER FINALLY GAVE up any hope of catching Val. He and his mom and stepdad were leaving for vacation the very next day.   
  
MAYBE SHE WENT on vacation, he though, a hint of hope flickering in his heart. But the suspicous thingwas that fact that she'd never mentioned it. Catie Rauf was equally distressed, although SHE wasn't the one who was in love with Val. (Thank God!)  
  
~*~   
  
AT 8 O'CLOCK SATURDAY night, Jeremy went up to Val's doorstep and rung the doorbell.  
  
VAL OPENED THE door and gave him a warm smile.  
  
"HEY HAILLE YOU look great," he acknowledged. She still had to get used to people calling her Haille.  
  
VAL WAS WEARING a khaki skirt and spring green low-cut shortsleeve top with platform sandals. Her short blonde hair hung loose around her tanned face.  
  
"Thanks," she said with a small smile.  
  
WHEN THEY WENT to the movie, Jeremy put his hand on hers. Okay, she could handle that although she still had an uneasy feeling about being with him.  
  
DINNER, THEY TALKED. That was a problem beacuse hs had to make up stuff about her past without mentioning things that had actually happened when she lived in Kingsport. But soon dinner was over for which she as glad for because she had realized she wasn't ready to date yet.  
  
BEING A..UM gentleman, Jeremy drove Val back to her hosue and brought her to the front door.  
  
"I LIKE YOU a lot, Haille," Jeremy began.  
  
"OH THANKS, THAT'S sweet." Val said a bit uncomfortable.  
  
THEN, IN ONE quick sweeping motion, he had her pinner against the front door and he kissed her intensely on the lips.   
  
"WHAT THE HELL are you doing, you bastard?" Val gasped as she pushed Jeremy off her with all her might.  
  
"YOU LIKE ME, don't you Haille?" he asked her with a menacing glitter in his eye.   
  
"NOT NOW, I don't you...you....jerk!" Val shouted. "Get away from me and my family or I'll call the cops!"  
  
"OKAY, OKAY, JEEZE."  
  
"BYE BYE NOW. Have a nice life," Val remarked sardonically. "What the hell did he think he was doing?" she muttered to herself a little shaken. He had been getting so into that one single kiss he was moving his hands under her skirt. Discusting. Who knows what could have happened!  
  
~*~  
  
BACK IN KINGSPORT, Tyler Connell vowed to himself, "Val I know you love me. And I love you. I'd stand at the edge of the earth waiting for you. However long it takes, I don't care, but I WILL FIND YOU."  
  
  
  
  



	10. We'll Meet Again

Disclaimer: Okay, I've seen this in a lot of the fanfiction.net stories I've read so I figure I should do it too. I'm not sure if it is fanfic rules or something but anyways: I don't own any of the "In a Hearbeat" characters (I want Shawn Ashmore!!) except for the ones I make up (which aren't many), Disney or whoever owns the show does, except I guess now they don't cuz of the fact that they are CANCELLING THE FRICKEN BEST SHOW IN THE WORLD! Anyway, forward march!  
  
Please read the following author's note. It would mean a lot to me. Thank you. =0D  
  
Author's Note: Okay, first and foremost, I would like to thank the following people for reading, reviewing, and genuinely liking my story that I am absolutely gung-ho about: Thanks to Ivy Leaves, Aricraze, Twirlgirl04, Josephine Rayne, ICEE chick, Scarlet182 and any other person I may have forgotten. Secondly, I want to know why the hell they are canceling "In a Heartbeat" and they aren't even telling us when or why if anyone knows. In this very chapter I was going to ask if any of the fans knew anything about why the show was like never on Sundays anymore and why there were no new episodes. Then I was went to read the fanfic "When Four Years Pass" and I saw the headline note and I was so sad! Please speak out and if you have any scoop on what's going on with the show let me know because I don't know what I am going to do if I can't get my Shawn Ashmore fix every week. Come to think of it, I should have guessed that they were going to end the show cuz of the way they had Tyler and Val kiss in the last new episode. That was so touching! Sniffle, sniffle. So, anyway, fill me in "In a Heartbeat" fans! Thirdly, (and I know this is probably the longest Author's Note in like the history of the world, but anyways) I want everyone who asked that I did capitalize the first three words of every paragraph on purpose. I saw it in a book I was reading and decided to do it for spite in that chapter. Fourthly, I also want to know anything and everything you know about Shawn Ashmore and his twin? I didn't know he had one. And, I want to apologize for misspelling Catie's last name. Oh, and how do you spell Val's last name? Lanier or Linear? Let me know? Anyway, if you have any questions or comments for anything from up above, feel free to write it in a review. Alrighty then, on with the story and please send me more reviews - I'm enjoying them a lot! And you know, I am trying so hard to keep this story suspenseful and full of irony, and you guys are just making my job so much harder! Anyway, keep on reading! ~ Chilly Penguin  
  
Oh, and PS: Since you guys were complaining and all that the last few chapters weren't long enough, I think I more than made up for it in this chapter.  
  
  
Chapter 10: "We'll Meet Again"  
  
  
It had been almost a year now since Val and her family "disappeared" or "vanished" a.k.a. entered the Witness Protection Program and moved to Myrtle Beach. For Tyler Connell, it seemed like forever. But, as he had vowed, almost ten months now, he was still waiting for the glorious day when Val Linear would return to him.  
  
His senior year was coming to a close, and he still didn't have a girlfriend. That may seem like a bad thing, but in this case, it was a very good thing, believe me. That meant that he had kept the vow he made to himself. He knew in his heart that Val was the only one for him. His heart belonged to her. He prayed for the day when he could tell her.   
  
His search for her continued on, but still he had no luck whatsoever. He decided it would do him a lot of good to go on a vacation for a while; make it a kind of escape. He had only one more week of school left, and then he'd be free.  
  
  
~*~  
  
"I've been living this life for almost a year now, and they still haven't found 'Adam Wood' or whatever the hell his name is yet. All that I know is that the clerk injured in the crime is perfectly fine now and returning to a normal life again, without threat. So why can't I?" she demanded. In stating the obvious, Val is really depressed. She wanted to go home to Kingsport. She wanted to return to the EMS squad there and she wanted to see all her life-long friends who had no idea what happened to her. She continued, " I have nothing. Nothing. No life, no boyfriend - not that I want one right now but still - no nothing. I mean, I'm not living the life that was supposed to be mine! I miss Tyler. I miss Catie. I want to phone him so bad right now but I can't. That would totally blow my cover. I can't get over him. I'm pathetic. My life is NOTHING!!" she shouted.  
  
And she started crying uncontrollably.  
  
~*~  
  
Tyler Connell spent the whole airplane ride thinking about Val. He just couldn't get her off his mind...  
  
An hour and a half later, Tyler got off the plane, gathered his baggage, and was off to rent himself a car. His car of choice was a year 2000 Dodge Neon in the color of silver. He liked keeping things simple. He wasn't in to having big, fancy things. Not that he couldn't afford it, he was just a simple guy. (I think that's a real good quality in some cases, myself).  
  
Tyler got into his rental car, and thought that since he was planning on staying there for most of the summer, it would probably be a good idea for him to go to the grocery store to supply himself with some food. He'd rather not starve.  
  
Because of the fact that he was going to be staying here for quite some time, he had rented a condo on the beach. It overlooked the ocean and everything.   
  
Tyler searched the town he was driving through for any sign of a grocery store when finally, he spotted one and entered the half-full parking lot.   
  
~*~  
  
Val Lanier woke up that morning feeling a little bit better than she had the night before. She lay in bed for a while, just looking out her picture window at the sparkling blue ocean. After a few minutes, when she was fully awake, Val got up and took a nice warm shower that massaged her tense body. She got out, dressed, did her hair, and decided that today - since it was Saturday and all - she was going to go to the grocery store, and get some food and magazines. She was going to pack herself a nice picnic, and spend the rest of the glorious day by the ocean, just relaxing, and reading up on the latest Hollywood gossip.  
  
~*~  
  
Tyler pushed along his shopping cart through the grocery store, covering every isle, gathering food and other supplies he thought he'd need. He got some snacks for on the beach - since he was going to be so close to it, he figured he'd spend most of his time there - meat for dinner, milk, orange juice, pop, cereal - the normal everyday food.   
  
He rounded the corner, and he saw her; it was as if he saw an angel floating down from Heaven. Everything from her blue-green eyes and blonde hair, he was positive it was her.   
  
She was looking interestedly at some magazines, obviously debating which ones she should buy. He watched as the strap of her periwinkle-blue spaghetti-strap tank fell, and she replaced it back in place with just one single sweeping motion.   
  
Tyler took one step closer, then another, and then said uncertainly, "Val?"  
  
Val Lanier recognized that voice. It belonged to Tyler Connell. She looked up and there he was, standing right in front of her, way too good to be true.   
  
"Tyler - " she began quietly, then hesitated and recovered with a feeble, " - what are you talking about? My name is Haille. Haille Mathews."   
  
She tugged on her blonde hair nervously. It was a lot shorter than Tyler remembered it being. It was just long enough to cover her ears, and it was spiral curled on top of her head. It looked awesome. She looked awesome. He looked deep into her eyes, searching for the truth, his face bearing a quizzical expression.  
  
"Val - I know it's you," Tyler began.  
  
Val finally gave in. "Shhh - yes, it's me. Please call me Haille in public, okay?" she pleaded. "Just pay for your stuff; I'll pay for mine. Meet me in the parking lot and I will explain, okay?" Val rattled off.   
  
"Um - okay?" he replied. I knew it was her, he thought. I just knew it!   
  
He almost leapt for joy right then and there, he was so incredibly happy.   
  
They each paid for their things and met in the parking lot, where Tyler told Val, "You look great. I've missed you," he said sincerely. "Now, would you mind telling me what's been going on? I've been searching for you what seems like forever," he demanded seriously.  
  
"Can I trust you?" Val inquired although it didn't really matter what the answer was.  
  
"Of course you can trust me."  
  
~*~  
  
"...they still haven't caught the guy and I've been this life for almost a year, and it's not my life, and it's just been so horrible, Tyler!" Val's composure completely broke, and she just began crying her eyes out.   
  
Tyler felt so sorry for her. He went over to her and embraced her tightly, stroking her blonde hair.   
  
In a few moments time, she stopped crying and looked up into the concerned face of Tyler Connell, the love of her life.   
  
Tyler peered at the tear-stained face of Val Lanier intently for a minute before kissing her passionately on the lips, until they collapsed onto one another, breathing loudly.  
  
"I love you," Tyler breathed.  
  
I love you too! Val wanted so much to scream. But she knew she couldn't. She was still in the Witness Protection Program, and that could put him in grave danger. "Tyler - I don't love you," she lied. "Like that, anyway."  
  
She watched, with her heart broken to a million pieces, as the beaming face of Tyler Connell changed instantly into a grimace at her words. Lied words, but he didn't know that.  
  
"But the kiss-" he protested.  
  
"Was a kiss between friends," Val interjected with a steady voice, totally costuming how she felt inside.  
  
Val watched sadly as Tyler got up and slumped out of her home, most likely forever, just before the first of many tears slid down her tanned face.  
  
  
  
~ So, what do you guys think? Let me know! I think a few more chapters will finish this up. ~   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. Love Should Be A Crime

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters, except for the ones that I make up. The Disney Channel or whoever owns the show owns the characters, although probably not anymore because they are canceling the show. (I want Shawn Ashmore!)  
  
Author's Note: I want to thank everyone who has read my story, especially Momo Claus, (I think that's how you spell it) who is my newest reader, or at least my newest reviewer. I want to thank Aricraze for taking the time to e-mail me and answer all my questions from the "longest author's note in history." I really appreciated it. Anyway, on with the story! I warn you, this may be a little confusing, but I thought that it was essential to the story in a way. I guess you'll understand better when you read Chapter 12.  
PS: Did you notice that I tend to name chapters after songs? This is an O-Town Song and "Love is Leaving" is by BBMak. I just noticed that I did that. Hmmm...   
  
  
Chapter 11: "Love Should Be A Crime"  
  
  
Tyler Connell walked back to his condo slowly, so deep in thought that he had forgotten his Neon in the driveway of Val Lanier's house. He was so deeply hurt, so confused. He had been absolutely, positively sure that the day before she left Kingsport, she had whispered in his ear, "I love you." Had he been mistaken? He had been so sure. That's what had kept his search for her going, even a year later. Now that he thought about what she had just said minutes ago, he wondered if she had meant it the way he had thought before.   
  
As he trudged toward his condo, he looked with a broken heart at the couples walking the beach, some of them so incredibly - obviously - in love with each other. Tyler's heart longed for that so much. He thought he had found it when he found Val in that grocery store earlier in the day, that he thought nothing - and I mean nothing - could burst his bubble.   
  
He was wrong, though. He thought back to that kiss. That was not a kiss between friends, he thought desperately. That was way too passionate to be a kiss between friends. Maybe she was just so vulnerable that she would have kissed anyone that would comfort her that way, he thought. But then dismissed that thought immediately.   
  
As he kept walking along the beach, alone, he felt tears stinging his eyes, threatening to spill over onto his face. He knew that if he let them escape, his "manly image" would shrivel up and disappear. He had to keep his emotions inside. At least until he reached his condo.  
  
If only Tyler had seen those glittering tears of heartbreak creep down Val Lanier's face...   
  
~*~  
  
Val Lanier sat heartbroken on her bed after Tyler had left her home, left her life. Her heart urged her to run after Tyler after that door had closed, but her mind told her what she had done was for the best. That now, Tyler would be out of danger, even if it meant breaking his heart, and breaking her own in the process. Too bad her mind had won the fight, and although she would be miserable the whole time she was in Myrtle Beach, she knew that if something had happened to him because of her, she would not have been able to live with herself, just knowing that.  
  
Val lay back on the pillows that covered her large bed, without tears - she had none left - reflecting on the good times Tyler and her had had over the years. She had not realized, though that silent tears where running down her face and onto her shirt in the process, although she really didn't care at the moment. Val just let those happy - and sad - memories come rushing back to her, as if in a wave, until she finally drifted off into the first dreamless sleep she had had in months.   
  
When Val woke up in the morning, her arm was soaking wet, as was her pillow. She had been so exhausted that she had drooled all over the place.  
  
"Gross!" she exclaimed, fully awake in seconds.  
  
She hopped off her bed and rushed in the shower to clean herself, because she felt so incredibly dirty. The drool just added to it. She scrubbed her skin until it had turned pink. Or was that sunburn? It couldn't be because I haven't really been outside, she thought. It was then that all of the memories of the night before had come rushing back to her. She couldn't cry. Her tear supply had completely dried up from all the crying she had done in the past few days.   
  
She remembered that today was Sunday. It was still the weekend. She wished that the weekend were over. She wanted to go back to her job at the ice cream shop in town and work, just to get her mind off of everything. But then again, she decided, it would be better to just lay around the house today, watching TV and drowning her sorrows in a gallon of Edy's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream with butterscotch chips on top. So she did.  
  
~*~  
  
Tyler searched the beach that day, hoping he would run into Val. He didn't, however, and that just dampened his spirits even more. Although she had said in layman's terms there was nothing between them, he knew there was. That was all he could think about all that night. Actually, he had been so depressed that he had gotten drunk. That was the first time he had ever done that, mostly because he was not of age to drink alcohol, and so he had awakened with a major hangover that morning. Knowing that drinking was not the answer to his problems, he had decided - once he had regained control of his numbed brain - the only way to solve his problem was to talk to Val and get this all straightened up. He searched that beach like hawk searching for prey for hours, and not seeing her, decided to walk around town looking for her instead. But still, he did not see her. But, then it occurred to him. He kicked himself in the butt for not thinking of it sooner: he knew that when Val was upset, she usually watched TV for hours on end, and drowned her sorrows in food, particularly ice cream. He then marched over to Val's house with resolve, and knocked insistently on her front door.   
  
  
Val looked through the peephole on the front door to see who it was that was so impatient. It was Tyler. She whirled around and decided to ignore him until he went away. He probably wanted to talk, but she didn't. She knew that if he strode into her house wanting to talk, she would look into those crystal-clear blue eyes and completely melt, telling him why she said she didn't love him the night before. And Val didn't want that to happen. She wanted him to be safe, away from harm.   
  
  
Tyler didn't give up, however. He knocked, and knocked, and knocked, even though his hand was throbbing. He threw in an occasional, "Open up, Val! I know you're in there!" But still she would not open the door for him.  
  
To Val it seemed like forever before he finally gave up, when in reality it had only been half an hour. Only a half and hour, she thought. That's a long time. But I can't give in to him.  
  
  
Tyler, discouraged and once again heartbroken and hopeless, walked down the front steps after trying to get Val Lanier to open the door for half an hour. I know she was in there, he thought, and that banging and yelling had to have gotten extremely annoying. She must really not want to talk to me. But why? I didn't do anything. What's she got to hide from me?  
  
  
  
  
All week, Tyler had been searching the beach and the town for Val. The little hope that had not dwindled or disappeared was making him continue his search.   
  
But after searching for her to talk about what had happened for a week and a half, he had nothing left in him. No hope. No faith. Only sadness, and his love for Val, and that was not much comfort to him at the moment.   
  
He finally decided that to leave Myrtle Beach earlier than he had first planned, and to go vacation somewhere else would be the best solution.   
  
He got the rest of his money back from his rent from the condo owner, drove to the airport, and returned the car he had borrowed. He bought a two-week long round-trip airline ticket for Key West, Florida and was soon on his way.  
  
  
~*~  
  
TWO AND A HALF WEEKS LATER  
  
Val had walked in her front door after a day at work when the phone rang. She picked it up, having no idea who'd be calling.  
  
"Hello, Mathews' residence," she answered the phone politely.  
  
"Haille?"   
  
The voice was familiar. But it had been so long ago that she had heard it that she had a hard time placing it with a name or face.  
  
"This is Detective Jim Anchor. I know it's been quite a while since the last time we talked."   
  
"Oh, hi Detective," Val said, somewhat relieved it wasn't someone else. But then, her relief almost instantly turned into worry and nervousness.  
  
"I've got some news for you and your family, Haille," he said. He had grown used to calling her by her fake name rather than the name Val.   
  
Oh no, she thought, HE'S coming after us! Val gulped in some air before she replied, "Yes? What is it Detective?"  
  
"Well, as you know, we have been continually searching for that so-called 'Adam Wood' guy for over a year now," he began slowly. Slower than Val could stand.  
  
"And?" she asked anxiously.  
  
"And we just got a call on a grocery store robbery where the clerk there was shot just as the clerk at the grocery store in Kingsport had. We have custody of that man, who fits the description you had given us over a year ago perfectly. We have his real name, which is Corey Peterson. We are positive this is the man who committed that crime you witnessed a year ago, because he used the same exact method in all the grocery store and mall robberies that have occurred in the last five years. Which means," he paused, "that if this guy is found guilty in the trial two days from now, that you will be able to return to your home in Kingsport, worry free," he finished, waiting for a response from "Haille".  
  
He heard a loud, apparently overjoyed squeal come from the other end of the phone.  
  
"Thank you so much for calling me, Detective. You have absolutely no idea what this family has been through in the last year and how happy this makes me and the rest of my family!" she squealed. "Please, call me as soon as you know for sure that he is guilty. I'll be waiting by the phone!"   
  
They bid good-bye and hung up the phone.  
  
Val Lanier phoned her mother and Brooke at work and told them what happened. Her mother started crying out of happiness and Brooke was completely speechless.   
  
Val dropped the phone on her bed and dreamed about going back to Kingsport. She would never leave there again! She had missed being there too much! Oh, how she couldn't wait to catch up with all her friends there!   
  
She began packing her things, knowing that for once in the last year, things were finally going her way.  
  
  
TWO DAYS LATER  
  
[Ring, ring, ring!]  
  
"I've got it!" yelled an ecstatic Val Lanier from her bedroom. "Hello?" she said into the receiver most anxiously.   
  
"Hello, Valerie," came Detective Anchor's booming voice. He had called her by her real name! Woo-hoo!   
  
"Hello, Detective," she replied.  
  
"I have very good news for you, Valerie!" he boomed. He was obviously very happy that this case was finally over and done with. "Corey Peterson was guilty of all charges! You can move back to Kingsport!" Even he was ecstatic.  
  
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Thank you so much Detective!" Val screamed. She was just so happy. Brooke and Mrs. Lanier rushed into Val's room with apparent anxiety on their faces.   
  
"Well?" Brooke and Joanne Lanier replied simultaneously.  
  
Val's face lit up and her blue-green eyes sparkled as she said in a loud, very happy voice, "We can move back to Kingsport! Corey Peterson, a.k.a. 'Adam Wood' was found guilty of all charges!" She spun around as if she were a ballerina because she was so incredibly happy.  
  
Sighs, tears and laughs of relief flooded the room as the Lanier family happily hugged one another tightly.  
  
The first thing she wanted to do was find Tyler to tell him the news. She hadn't heard from him in almost three weeks. She hoped he hadn't forgotten about her. She knew that he had rented a condo on the beach and began searching for him. She walked the beach and went into the offices of the only condos on the beach, and asked him if he knew which one Tyler Connell was staying in. He told her that he "checked out" of that place a while ago. Saddened, but brought up by the fact that she was going home, she figured he must have gone back to Kingsport, and decided she would find him there.  
  
The next morning, Val, Brooke, and Joanne Linear were on a plane headed back to their hometown in Kingsport with nothing but joy.  
  
  
~ Well, what do you think? I know it's a tad bit confusing in the beginning, but it kinda all leads up to what happens in Chapter 12. Please review and tell me what you think! ~  
  
  
  



	12. Too Late

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters, (although I want Shawn Ashmore!) except for the ones that come straight from my imagination. The Disney Channel owns them, or at least did. I also am not making any profit of this, but if I did, believe me, I'd have a lot more money than I do now!  
  
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has read and/or reviewed my story, although I think that I am losing my readers with all my babbling because the reviews are coming less and less. *Sniffle, sniffle* Please review even if it is to criticize my story. Anyway, I think that one more chapter after this one will finish it up.   
  
  
Chapter 12: "Too Late?"  
  
  
  
The whole three-hour long airplane ride home to Kingsport from Myrtle Beach was totally agonizing Val Lanier and her family. They just wanted to get home, to step into their familiar home again. Val just couldn't wait to see all her friends again, especially Tyler. But Catie, Hank, and Jamie too, because she missed them so much. She knew as soon as she got home - even before she unpacked her things - she would go up to the EMS station and ask Alex, the coordinator, if she could once again join the squad.   
  
Finally, after what seemed like days, the plane finally landed. The Laniers got into their awaiting car and drove back to their home in Kingsport.   
  
It felt so good to go into their home. To go into their bedrooms and living room where all their memories had been preserved for over a years' time. Val and her sister, Brooke walked slowly around their home, finally feeling happy for the first time. They studied their family pictures, looked long and hard at all of them - especially ones of their father who had passed away over two whole years ago.  
  
"Mom, I'm leaving for a while, ok?" Val called to her mother.  
  
"You go right ahead, dear," she said, as memories flooded back into her mind also.  
  
"Love ya, bye." Val walked out to the old, dusty garage in their backyard and opened the rusty door. There stood her silver Oldsmobile Alero, still looking as brand-new as when she first bought it. She slid onto the soft leather of the driver's seat and felt in Heaven. She switched on the radio to her favorite station as she was driving down her driveway, noticing it hadn't changed a bit. This brought a smile to Val Lanier's lips. She had a blast singing along to songs she liked as she drove along.   
  
Finally, she saw the sign that read: Kingsport Emergency Medical Station.   
  
She walked into the station, not seeing a soul in sight. She remembered where Alex's office was and knocked softly on the door.   
  
"Come in," came his manly voice from the other side of the door. He sounded a bit stressed.  
  
Val quietly stepped into his office. Alex looked up, and as soon as her saw her standing there, his jaw dropped in awe.  
  
"Val?" Those were the only words that escaped from his mouth. He was too stunned to say anything else.   
  
"Yeah, Alex. It's me. How've you been?" she asked.  
  
"Um - great, how 'bout yourself?" he asked.  
  
"I'm doing much better now than I have been, trust me," she replied.  
  
"Val - may I ask where you've been. Or better yet - what happened to you?" Alex asked quizzically.  
  
She explained what had happened over the course of the last year, and then finished with saying, "Alex, would you mind if I join the squad again?"  
  
"No, of course, not Val. Whatever I can do for you. You've been through a lot, huh?" he asked sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah. But now that it's finally over, and I'm home now, I think it'll all turn out okay," she replied, so sure at what she had just finished saying. "Are Hank, Tyler, and Jamie still on the squad?" she asked, curious.  
  
"They sure are. In fact, they are due to arrive...just about now," Alex said to her.  
  
"Mind if I go say hi?" she asked.   
  
"No, go ahead. I'm glad you're back," Alex replied honestly. "It just hasn't been the same without you here, Val."  
  
"Thanks, Alex. I missed you too."   
  
Val walked out of Alex's office and strode silently into the EMT common room. Hank Beechum and Jamie Waite both looked up when they heard quiet footsteps in the hall.   
  
"Val?" Hank and Jamie said simultaneously.  
  
"Hi Hank. Hi Jamie," she said as they both walked over and gave her a big hug.   
  
"You look great," Hank said. He absolutely loved her hair like that.   
  
"Thanks," she said, somewhat blushing at the compliment.  
  
"Where have you been Val," Jamie asked, looking at her as though she were some movie star.  
  
"Okay, guys, why don't you sit down for a minute," Val suggested. They did. "Okay, long story short: I witnessed a crime at the local grocery store. The clerk there was shot. I hid in a closet and saw the guy. It was that 'Adam Wood' guy that fell on the pickle jars, remember? Anyway, I hoped he hadn't seen me, but he did and he kept threatening me. The only way my family and I would be safe was to enter the Witness Protection Program. So, for the last year or so, my name has been Haille Mathews and I have been living in Myrtle Beach, completely miserable without all you guys," Val finished, looked at the men looking at her with awestruck expressions.  
  
"Val, that had to completely suck," Hank said, never being good at choosing words for that kind of situation.  
  
"Yeah, it did. But guess what? I'm joining the squad again!" she said happily.  
  
"Val, that's great!" Jamie said enthusiastically and Hank echoed the same.  
  
"I know! I'm so happy," she paused. "Where's Tyler? Isn't he supposed to be here?"  
  
Hank and Jamie's happy faces crumbled into frowns. "Um - yeah, he should have been here by now," Jamie said nervously.   
  
"Well - okay then," Val said. "Listen guys, I'm going to come back later. It might be a good thing if I unpack some clothes for me to wear," she told them.   
  
"Okay, see you later, Val," they said in unison.  
  
"Bye guys!"  
  
Val walked out of the EMT station. Just then she spotted Tyler. He was talking to another girl! She caught him just in time to watch his plant a kiss on her cheek. The girl he was kissing hopped into her red sports car and drove off.   
  
Val walked until she was only feet away from Tyler. "I'm too late, aren't I Tyler," she whispered. Silent tears were flowing down her face.   
  
Tyler looked up and spotted Val. Her accusation had gone completely over his head. He said instead, "Val - what are you doing here?"  
  
She ignored the statement and repeated, "I'm too late, aren't I Tyler?" A sob escaped her throat.   
  
"Too late for what, Val?" Tyler asked her desperately.  
  
"Never mind," Val said angrily and began to stride away from him.   
  
"No Val. You are too late for what?" he asked, equally as angry now.  
  
Val spun around as he touched her arm. "Tyler - I lied," she said simply, her anger dwindling away, and just turning into heartbreak.  
  
"Lied about what, Val?" he asked desperately.  
  
"I was lying when I said I didn't love you," Val whispered  
  
"Why did you lie to me about that, Val? Do you know how much you hurt me?" he asked her.  
  
"I didn't want you to get hurt. I was in the Witness Protection Program, Tyler, and even I wasn't safe. I knew that I would not be able to live with myself if you got hurt because of me."  
  
She began to cry hysterically.  
  
Tyler kissed her tears away lovingly.  
  
"You know I would have done anything to be with you, right?" he asked her.  
  
She didn't reply. She loved Tyler so much. "Am I too late, Tyler?" she asked him yet again.  
  
"No, of course not."   
  
"But what about you chickie friend?" she asked him.  
  
"Ah, she's on some desert island by now," he replied with a chuckle as he leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips.  
  
She returned the kiss. When their lips parted, he asked her, "So, what are you doing here anyway. I thought you were in the Witness Protection Program."   
  
"Good news. The guy was caught. I am in Kingsport to stay," she replied. "Is that a good thing?" she questioned playfully.  
  
"Of course." They walked hand in hand back into the EMS station.  
  
  
  
~ So what do you think guys? I think one or two chapters will finish it up. Hope you guys liked it. And to all Tyler/Val fans who thought I was totally gonna sabotage their T/V romance, I proved you wrong, didn't I? I mean, after I pulled your leg a little? ~   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. Hands Entwined

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters except the ones that come from my imagination, and I am not making any profit on this whatsoever.  
  
Author's Note: Hey, guys! I'm sorry it's been so long. I've had some demands for me to continue with the story that I had been originally going to end at chapter twelve. But, I had some ideas that would make the story live on and I have been having a hard time figuring out how to word them without making them extremely boring. (Cuz you know I don't want to put you to sleep!) Anyway, this chapter is just a bunch of talking, but like one of the other chapters, it all leads on to the rest of the story. Oh, and I know that Catie is a tad bit out of character, but hey, that's okay. It gives the story some flavor! Okay, onward readers! - Chilly Penguin  
  
  
  
Chapter 13: "Hands Entwined"  
  
As Val Lanier and Tyler Connell were walking back toward the EMS station, Val awkwardly leaned in to playfully give Tyler a big kiss on the cheek.  
  
He stopped walking and turned to Val. He said, "Val, I'm so glad you're back." He gave her a soft kiss.   
  
Val smiled at him warmly, and kissed him back before saying softly, "I'm glad to be back."   
  
His face was positively beaming with joy. He never wanted this moment to end.  
  
When Val and Tyler entered the room, Hank and Jamie turned to them with devilish grins on their faces, apparently happy at what they were seeing, what they knew all along what was inevitable was finally happening.   
  
Val wondered what they were staring at, when she realized that hers and Tyler's hands were still entwined. Embarrassed and blushing a bright pink, she slowly pulled her hand from Tyler's.   
  
"So, Val, I thought you were heading home," Hank stated, that devilish smile still plastered on his dark face.  
  
"Oh! I was," Val said, giving the two boys staring at her no explanation why. Not that they needed one.  
  
"Mmm hmmm," they both grunted knowingly.  
  
There was a somewhat awkward silence creeping over the EMS common room, so Val asked to no one in particular, "So, how's Catie been? I haven't been to see her yet. I really should."  
  
"Oh, she's been great," Jamie said, attempting to stifle the smile that was crossing his lips.  
  
"Jamie and Catie have been going out since like last September," Tyler whispered to a slightly confused Val.  
  
"Oh!" she said. Then added, "Well congratulations, Jamie."  
  
"Thanks, and Connell, it's been since last July. Come on now, get your months straight," Jamie joked.  
  
"Well, I really should go see her," Val said quietly. She wanted to see Catie, but she also didn't want to leave Tyler's side, even for a minute. It just felt so good to be near him again.  
  
"Hey, Val," Tyler whispered softly in her ear, completely dismissing the two pairs of staring eyes, "Why don't we go out for dinner tonight. We'll go celebrate your coming home."  
  
"I'd like that," Val said sincerely.  
  
"Pick you up at six?" he inquired, wanting to see her again as soon as possible. It was three-thirty right now.  
  
"Sure, Tyler." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she left the EMS building. She had been trying to get away from all the looks Hank and Jamie exchanged, and the knowing glances toward her and Tyler that she had forgot to say good-bye to them. Oh well, she thought. I'll see them tomorrow.  
  
Val got into her car and drove through Kingsport until she was at the familiar house of her best friend, Catie Roth.  
She walked up the steps and onto the porch, where she rapped sharply on the front door.   
  
From the inside of the house came, "I'm coming!" and the door opened, showing Catie. She looked incredibly different. Normal even. Her black hair had no unnatural color, but light brown highlights, and she wasn't dressed like her normal Goth self. She was in an Abercrombie shirt and pant set. Val and Catie just stared at each other for a few minutes, with equally awed expressions on their faces.  
  
Eventually, Catie broke the silence buy screaming, "Val!" before she hugged her good friend tightly.   
  
Val tried to say, "Catie!" but it was a bit muffled by Catie's body.  
  
Catie pulled back and said, "So Val? You look great. Where've you been? How've you been? I need details!" Catie exclaimed, all in one breath.  
  
"Catie, you look great too," Val said sincerely.   
  
"Yeah, I kind of grew out of that 'have to be different from everyone else' Goth stage," Catie said, trying to stifle a smile.   
  
"I heard about you and Jamie. Congratulations," Val said.  
  
Catie smiled. "Thanks," she said. "You know, I really think he's the real thing," she confided.  
  
"Really? Great!" Val exclaimed.   
  
"Yeah, but it's way too early for anything big to happen. We're just taking it a day at a time, you know? Anyway, enough about me. Where have you been, how've you been?" she questioned.  
  
Val went into her story. "Well, I witnessed a crime at the local grocery store almost a year ago and I saw the guy. He kept threatening my family and I and we had to go into the Witness Protection Program. So, for the last year I have been known as Hailey Mathews and I have been living on beach front property on Myrtle Beach thinking about what you guys were doing and how much fun you were having. But, the guy was caught and now I am back to Kingsport to stay!"  
  
"Wow, Val I'm so glad you're back," Catie said sincerely. "So, did anything exciting happen while you were in the God-awful Witness Protection Program?"   
  
"Well, I almost got, um, taken advantage of by this jerk..." Val began.  
  
"And?" Catie asked, pushing Val along because her gut instinct told her that Val wanted to say more than she actually had. I mean, more than that had to have happened over the past year.  
  
"Okay, Catie. Tyler came to Myrtle Beach and found me," Val said quickly. Almost too quickly to be understood. "And I had to tell him the whole reason I was out there and why I hadn't told him or anybody else what had happened and why I pleaded with him to call me 'Hailey' in public." She continued. "I was just so incredibly sad there and I just started crying at the end of my whole story and Tyler - he was so sweet - he came over and gave me a big hug. When I looked up at him he kissed me and said he loved me. I didn't want him to get hurt because of me, 'cause I was in the Witness Protection Program and all, and I said I didn't love him."  
  
"Have you seen him yet?" Catie asked Val.  
  
"Yes," Val replied.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well, I was coming out of the EMS station because that's the first place I went because I wanted to be an EMT again and as I was coming out after seeing Hank and Jamie, I saw him kissing another girl on the cheek. I was so angry and I thought that I was too late - because you of all people know that I do indeed love him - and he said I wasn't too late. He still loved me and we are going out to dinner tonight!" Val said happily. She added, "You know, Catie, when Tyler and I walked in the common room, our hands were still entwined, and Hank and Jamie kept looking at us as if they knew that that would happen. You know, between me and Tyler," Val said.  
  
Catie said, "Okay, Val, to tell you the truth, Jamie, Hank, and I - and Brooke too - all knew what was between you guys. We could tell by the way you guys acted around each other that you liked him, and he liked you. We just figured it was only a matter of time before you guys would actually end up together."  
  
"Oh," Val said. "I guess everyone but us could predict the future on that one, huh? Honestly, I never thought he liked me."  
  
Catie sighed dramatically, a peek of her old self shining through again.   
  
"Well, Catie, I guess I will call you soon. I really should get home because Tyler and I are going to dinner at six and I have to get ready." Val stood up and gave her best friend a small hug.   
  
Catie walked her to the door and said to Val, "I'm really glad you're back."  
  
"Not more than I am Catie," retorted Val with a small laugh. "I'll give you a ring soon, okay?"  
  
"Alright, see ya." Catie shut the door behind Val Lanier and couldn't believe the story she had just heard escape her best friend's glossed lips. I can't believe what the poor girl's been through, Catie thought with a grim smile.  
  
Val Lanier drove in her silver VW bug back home to get changed for her date with Tyler. She couldn't believe all that had happened since she left, and since she'd been home. It was a tad bit overwhelming, but she didn't care. She was just so happy to finally be home in a familiar place with familiar people.   
  
Val walked into her house and went into her room. It was empty, and she figured Brooke had went to catch up with Nick and Amanda. She crossed over to her suitcases. It was only four-fifteen, so she figured she would unpack some of her clothes and hang them up neatly in her closet for a while before she got ready for her date with Tyler. She turned up the radio and began singing along as she worked. She worked until she heard a knock on the door. She opened it and there stood Tyler. "Oh my gosh! Tyler, I'm so sorry. I've been unpacking all my clothes and I guess I got more into it than I thought..." she looked at him guiltily.   
  
"Hey, that's okay."   
  
She smiled at him with gratitude. He's such a great guy, she thought. She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. "You like?" she asked as she pulled back, noticing the slight smile on his face.  
  
"A little," he admitted.   
  
"Only a little?" she said uncertainly as a devilish smile teased her lips. She gave him another kiss, this one longer and more passionate. "Better?" she asked him again.  
  
"Yeah," Tyler panted. His face was positively beaming.  
  
"Okay, listen, do you want to just wait in here while I change my clothes and freshen up? It won't take long," she promised.  
  
"Val, you look fine. You don't even have to change," he said truthfully.   
  
"I know I don't. I just want to put on something more appropriate," she replied noticing that he had on a navy blue v-neck shirt with khakis. "I'll be right back," she said as she slipped into the bathroom that was adjoined to her bedroom. When she emerged ten minutes later, she was wearing a pale yellow square-neck tank with a white skirt and white sandals. Her hair was once again curled on top of her head and looked perfect, not a hair out of place.  
  
"You look great," Tyler said, giving her a smile.  
  
"Thank you," she said, returning the smile.   
  
He playfully held out his arm for Val, and she slipped her arm through his and they headed off to dinner together.   
  
  
~ Well, what do you think? I know it's kind of short and boring and it repeats a lot but I'm having a bit of a hard time with this. I have ideas, I just don't know how to voice them. Anyway, please review! ~  



	14. Before We Say Good-Bye

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters and I am not making any profit on this story

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters and I am not making any profit on this story. 

Author's Note: Please take my advice and do not read my story "Behind the Scenes" because, well, number one: it sucks, number two: Ivy Leaves said it sucks, and number three: it just plain sucks. So please take my advice and don't waste your time reading it until I can find the time to delete it. Thank you to Ivy Leaves for telling me the truth. It was an idea that I'd had in my head, but couldn't write it as a story, so if anyone can, then more power to you is what I say! Also, please review chapters thirteen and fourteen if you have time because I would really appreciate it. Both chapter thirteen and chapter fourteen lead up to what happens in the rest of the chapters, so please just pull thorough and read. I will also attempt to get some new ideas for some more "In a Heartbeat" Fan Fiction stories, but it might be a while considering my last one - well you know the whole spiel. Anyway, please review. I know it's been a while before I came up with new material, but please read. The rest of the story reflects mostly on Val and Tyler as a couple, but that is all I know, actually all that I can tell you because otherwise it's like ruining a perfectly good story.

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Chapter 14: "Before We Say Good-bye"

Tyler Connell and Val Lanier walked out her front door arm in arm toward Tyler's car. Tyler opened the door for Val and she sat in the passenger seat. "Okay, so, where should we go for dinner?" he questioned Val. 

She thought for a moment, cocking her head as she did so. "Hmmm...I don't know. It doesn't matter to me. I am going to leave it up to you."

"Okay, Vincelli's it is." Tyler looked at Val for a split-second looking for her nod of approval. 

"Sounds good," she replied.

Tyler drove a few more miles and pulled into the parking lot of Vincelli's. Val had never been here before, but she guessed from the name that it was probably an Italian restaurant. "This looks like a nice place," she commented as she got out of Tyler's car slowly.

"The food here is great," Tyler said.

He was right. Val's spaghetti marinara was prefect. She tried a little piece of Tyler's eggplant parmeseana, and it too was excellent. 

"Tyler, you were right, this food is excellent," Val said between mouthfuls. She was just so hungry.

"Told you," Tyler said. "So, Val, you're planning to go to college right?" he asked.

"Of course." 

"Where are you planning on going?" he asked her.

She thought a moment, then replied, "Wherever you go, probably." She then looked into his blue eyes to decide if that's what he wanted, if that was okay with him. She couldn't tell. "Where are you planning on going?" she inquired. 

"I'm planning on going somewhere warm," Tyler said. "Probably somewhere tropical too. But basically, I'll go anywhere that'll except me."

"Tyler, you know very well that most likely every college you try to get into will be more than thrilled to take you. You have a clean record, very good grades, and you on the EMS squad. Come on, who wouldn't take you?"

He shrugged. "Now, where were you planning on going?" 

"Anywhere that'll except me."

"Oh." He'd been hoping she would repeat what she had said earlier when he asked her that question. Wherever you go. But she didn't, and he was slightly disappointed. "So, Val, what are you planning on doing the rest of the summer?" 

"Well, I'm an EMT again. I don't know if you knew that. And, I was actually hoping I'd be able to spend time with you."

"Ah, well, you read my mind," he replied.

They had dessert and expresso and left the restaurant. Tyler drove Val home, noticing that for the first time that night that she looked really tired. He didn't want to leave her, but she had to sleep sometime. At her doorstep, they gazed into each other's eyes and kissed passionately. Then Val went inside. She was actually looking forward to going to sleep in her own bed...

Val woke up early the next morning to the sun shining through her window. She yawned and stretched as she lifted her body off of her bed. She went into her kitchen and made herself some coffee and had a big bowl of cereal. She took a shower and changed into one of her old, forgotten EMT uniforms and prepared herself for the day ahead of her. She grabbed her car keys, got into her VW and was on her way to the EMS station. Tyler was the only one already there. She was grateful for that. He was sitting on the couch watching TV. She went over to him and sat on his lap, and kissed his face. He turned his head and kissed her on the lips again, and again, and again, until they heard the sound of a throat being cleared. Brooke, Hank, and Jamie standing in the doorway to the common room, looks of pretend disgust costuming their content at being correct all along about Val and Tyler. Val and Tyler both turned a deep crimson and moved away from each other. 

Brooke, Hank, and Jamie burst out in laughter. "You guys should see the looks on your faces!" Brooke exclaimed. 

If possible, Val and Tyler turned a deeper shade of red than their faces had been before.

Just then, they were needed for an emergency call. Val leapt to her feet, instantly forgetting the fact that she and Tyler had just been caught making out.

Jamie, Hank, Val, and Tyler had five calls in a row before they finally had a break. To Val, although it was still hard and painstaking work being an EMT, she still loved the feeling of helping people. It felt good to be back.

Val felt a light tap on the face. She woke up and looked up at Tyler's face and kissed is softly. She guessed that she probably had fallen asleep while watching TV waiting for a call. He smiled at her and she smiled back. He had his arms around her waist, protecting her from falling off the old sofa they were seated on and she gave him another long kiss before getting up and asking, "What time is it?" as she stretched out her body.

"It's about eleven – quitting time for us," Jamie Waite told her.

"Yeah, I really should get home," she said.

"Walk you?" Tyler asked anxiously. 

"Sure," she replied back drowsily.

They walked out of the EMS station together. Val was so tired that she leaned her head on Tyler's shoulder as they walked back to her house. At the doorstep, he gave her a kiss on the forehead, and let her go inside to get some rest. 

As he walked home, he thought for the millionth time how lucky he was to have her. The only problem that sort of ruined it was that there was only a month or so left of summer before they had to go away to college. He had already applied to many, and was just waiting for the acceptance letter to come in the mail. He was extremely worried that Val and him would get split up, would end up going to different colleges in different parts of the United States. He really didn't want that to happen. He sighed as he stepped in his house as headed to his bedroom to go to sleep.

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ONE MONTH LATER

Val sighed as she finished packing her bags. She had been accepted to her choice college, UCLA. She dreaded the fact that she had to once again leave Kingsport, but at least she knew she would be coming back. The worst part was that Tyler had decided to go to Michigan State University, so he would basically be at the other end of the continent. They wanted so much to go to the same college, but she hadn't filled out a college application form for Michigan State and he hadn't filled one out for UCLA. So, in other words, they were _screwed_. 

Val threw her heavy suitcases in her car before hugging her mom and Brooke good-bye. She then headed to Catie's house and said good-bye to her. She had bid good-bye to Hank and Jamie at the station the day before, so she felt no need to say it to them again. She did, however feel the need to say good-bye to Tyler Connell, just because she loved him so much, but she also wanted to talk to him. She didn't want to hold him back while he was at school.

She honked her horn as she pulled up the driveway and Tyler opened his front door, almost on que. She got out of her VW bug smiling, and went up to Tyler and kissed him on the cheek before entering his house. "Tyler – I've really got to talk to you," she began. 

"Mmm hmmm," he said, quite frightened of what that might be.

"I just want you to know that I love you," she said.

"I love you, too," Tyler said back.

"But, loving you also comes with some consequences…Tyler – I don't want to hold you back while you're doing your thing in Michigan. I really don't," her eyes pleaded with him to say something, _anything._

"Val, you know you'd never hold me back, but…are you breaking up with me?" he demanded.

"No, I'm not breaking up with you? Why would I? How could I?" she asked somewhat incredulously. "What I meant was that if you meet a girl that you like while you're in Michigan, I want you to feel free to do what you want, just make sure you tell me, break up with me, whatever first. That's what I meant by I don't want to hold you back," Val explained.

"Val, you'd never hold me back, and I don't want another girl," Tyler said and gave her a kiss.

"Okay, Tyler, just remember what I said," she said with a small sigh. "Listen, I've got to catch my plane in a half hour and I'd like to get there early if I can," she said. "So, I'd better leave now. You know where to reach me. Call me, e-mail me whatever. As long as we keep in touch, okay?" 

"Sure, you know I will," he said. 

Val walked over to him to give him a long passionate kiss. "Save that," she told him. "'Bye, Tyler. Love you." She walked out of his front door and headed to the airport.   
  
During the whole trip to California, Val couldn't help but regret leaving Tyler, leaving Catie, leaving Kingsport. She had just come back to what felt like home and now she was leaving it yet again and everyone that loved her. It would be as if she were back in Myrtle Beach again. She wouldn't know anybody, she'd have to learn a new school, and make new friends. Plus, she knew – and dreaded – the fact that she knew that most long-distance relationships normally didn't make it. The plane landed about eight hours later in California's national airport and Val rented a car until she could buy one of her own. She wished she would have been able to bring her VW along, but she knew that was virtually impossible. She found and drove down the Highway until she saw the exit for UCLA and got off. She parked in the parking lot of the school, checked in with the office, and headed to the dorm areas to find hers. She knew that she would be sharing it with another girl. She popped her key into the lock and threw open the door. She saw a tall blonde get up from the desk and they both gasped when they saw each other.

  
"Heather!" Val said, surprised. _Heather Stillmore was her roommate!_ Yes, the same Heather Stillmore that had tried so incredibly hard they junior year in High School to get ahold of Tyler Connell. Eventually, she had backed off, but that wasn't the point.

"Val!" Heather said, equally surprised. "So, _you're_ my roommate?" she asked.

Val shifted uncomfortably. "You don't sound too happy about that."

"No, it's just that I'm so surprised. I know that I made a bad impression on you when I was a junior. And I don't know where the heck you were last year, but I hope you can forgive me for whatever I did and we can be friends?" Heather pleaded with Val.

To Val, Heather looked sincere enough, so Val accepted her apology with a small smile. "Okay, friends," Val offered with her hand thrust forward.

Heather took Val's hand, agreeing to be friends with her as well. 

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TWO MONTHS LATER

Val trudged toward her dorm room with a gigantic pile of books filling her arms. She had been swamped with homework for the past two months, but work hard, receiving the top grades in her class. She freed one hand for a split second, just long enough to knock on her dorm door. Heather swung open the door, and seeing Val slumped over by the weight of her books, offered to help. "Thanks," Val panted as Heather took a load of the top of her pile of books. 

  
"Your welcome," Heather replied with a smile at her roommate. 

Val and Heather had actually become very, very good friends since their little pact when they first found out they'd be roommates for four years. They genuinely enjoyed each others company, and gave good advice to the other when they needed it most. 

The last two months had been tiring for them, spending long hours working on their homework. Val had taken the time to call Tyler twice, and he had called her a few times also. She still fretted the time when their relationship would break apart. She hadn't talked to Tyler in about a week, and she wondered what he was doing right now…

Tyler Connell sat at his desk, staring at the clock. It read 8:30 p.m. He wondered what Val was doing right now. His hand itched to pick up the receiver and give her a call because he hadn't talked to her in a week. When he had called her last, she sounded so tired and stressed. He was beginning to wonder if she was right; when she said that she didn't want to hold him back. He didn't want to hold her back either…

~ So? What do you peeps think? It's just a bunch of convo, but like I've said a million times, it all adds up to what happens next. Please review! ~ Chilly Penguin 


	15. Anonymous Roses

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" 

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters featured in this story, except for the ones that come straight from my imagination. Also, I am said to say that I am making absolutely no profit on this story whatsoever.

Author's Note: First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who has been reading my new story "Cries for Help" and, surprisingly, "Behind the Scenes." To whoever writes the "Real World" series for the "In a Heartbeat" fanfictions, (sorry, I don't remember what your name was) I haven't read those yet, so I am not copying off you. Okay, I think this chapter will be a bit short, but there will be significance to it in the long run. Read on!

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Chapter 15: "Anonymous Roses"

THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER

Val Lanier sat at the desk in her dorm with the pencil stuck in her mouth. She had to write a paper about some ways to treat different wounds in different places for her Medical class, and she was having a hard time thinking of examples. Her roommate, Heather, was gone on a date. Val hadn't been on a date for over three years. She had been too busy. For one thing, she was taking three more college courses than her roommate was, and those three took up most of Val's time. She thought sadly about the fact that the calls from Tyler had become less and less, and she thought she knew why. He probably was too busy for her now. Hopefully, if he had a girlfriend, he would have kept his promise to her and broke up with her. The problem was, they hadn't broke up, but they weren't _together_ exactly either. She was oh so confused about what was going on in their relationship. The last time she talked to him was almost a month ago, and before that it had been three weeks before she heard from him again. In a way, she was happy for this, because it meant that she wasn't holding him back. She just hoped that he was happy. She was shaken out of thought by a sharp rap on the door. "I'm coming!" she called, somewhat exasperated. She unlocked and threw open the door.

"Are you a Miss Valerie Lanier?" the man in front of her asked.

"Yes I am." Her curiosity had peaked.

"These are for you." He handed her a bouquet of a dozen pink roses. 

"Thanks," she said as she signed for the flowers and closed the door. _Whoever sent these knew that pink roses were my favorite,_ she thought. She searched for the card, and finally found it. It read: "I'm thinking of you" and was signed "Anonymous." Val found that sweet, but peculiar, and wondered who'd send these to her. She smelled the sweet aroma and gave a nice sigh of enjoyment. 

One week later, she was walking back to her dorm when she saw a man in front of her door. She saw Heather signing the paper, and then the man walked off down the hall in the opposite direction. She sped up and walked into the door before Heather had the chance to close it. "Oh, these just came for you," Heather told Val. Heather's eyes held a curious sparkle that was quite similar to the one Val's had. Heather handed Val the flowers.   
  
"Thanks for signing for them," Val said to her.

"Sure." Heather cocked her head. "Who're they from?"

"I don't know, let me find the card," she replied. Heather knew about the anonymous flowers from the week before as well. "Hmmm, it says, 'I can't seem to get you off my mind; haven't been for the longest time' and it's signed, 'Anonymous' yet again," Val said. She wanted so much to know who the flowers came from. 

"Hmmm, that's really weird," Heather commented from her bed. It was eleven o'clock at night. She was already in her pajamas, ready to go to sleep. Val had just gone for a walk to clear her mind before she hit the sack too. "Well, good night," Heather said.

"Night," Val yawned.

The anonymous roses kept up for the next five months, one bouquet per week. Val had eventually gotten quite annoyed because not one held the name of its sender. That week she was graduating from college on a Medical major. She looked forward to being a pediatrician. Val sat on the floor of her dorm with Heather at her side, both packing up their clothes, getting ready to head back to Kingsport in two days. "I can't believe we're already leaving this place," Heather sighed. She paused, then added, "I'm really glad we became friends. Hopefully our friendship can last even back in Kingsport." She had a hopeful glint in her eye as she said this.

"I'm really glad we became friends, too. I'd be glad to keep this friendship going," Val said, giving Heather a small hug. "I've really got to start packing!"

"Yeah, me too."

Two days later, Val and Heather stood in the middle of their dorm room in their graduation robes and caps looking around. It really seemed like it had been only yesterday when they started going here, starting living in this dorm room. It was completely empty, completely _spotless_ right now. All of Val's and Heather's things were in their cars ready to go. They couldn't believe that they were graduating from college, Val in the top of all her classes, would be Valedictorian this year. She just couldn't believe it. She never in a million years thought she'd make it this far, especially after that whole Witness Protection Program thing last year. In a few minutes time, it was time for Val and Heather to head off toward their graduation. 

They threw their hats in the air after receiving their diplomas, and headed toward their cars in separate directions.

~ So what do you think? The story's not over yet, believe me. I've still got some ideas to continue this one in my head. Please review! ~ 


	16. Background Music and Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the "In a Hearbeat" characters featured in this story except for the ones I make up

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the "In a Hearbeat" characters featured in this story except for the ones I make up.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has read my story!! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my story also!! Please continue reading!

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Chapter 16: "Background Music and Revelations"

Val Lanier sighed as she saw the familiar sign that read: Welcome to Kingsport. She was just so happy to be home again. She just plain couldn't believe that she had been in California attending UCLA for four years! It seemed to be just so incredibly surreal. Following the old, tree-lined roads of Kingsport, she thought once again about Tyler. His calls had become less and less while she was in California until they stopped coming a year and a half ago. She never thought that another girl would cross her path again, try to steal the one man she had ever loved away from her. She was saddened by the prospect. Oh well, she thought. It's my fault for telling him that I wasn't going to hold him back while I was away. Why was I so stupid? She banged her fists on her steering wheel, in a flash of anger. She then thought back to the anonymous roses that had been delivered to her dorm every week for the past six months. She wondered what brought that on, and who sent them to her. She had been way too busy to show any guy attention while she was at college, much less go out on a date. So who would send them?

Tyler Connell had graduated from Michigan State University the week before. His major had been in the Medical field, not surprisingly. He planned to be a pediatrician, mostly because he liked little kids. He had called Val Lanier's house, but her mother had answered and said that she hadn't come home from California yet. She was due back next week. He had asked her not to mention to Val that he'd called. A week ago he had called, so he figured that Val was due back home either today, or any of the few days after. He felt bad that he had been the one who had quit calling. He figured since he quit calling, that she thought he had a girlfriend, and didn't want to tell Val. Quite the contrary, however that wasn't the case. He didn't want to hold her back any. Just as she had said before she left, and he had realized that he wanted the same for her. Now he just hoped and prayed that he wasn't too late for her to be his girlfriend again. He had it all planned out…

Val slowly came up the driveway of her house, and opened the car door slowly. She took a deep breath of the clean, salt-free air, and smiled. She went up to the porch, and put her key into the lock. She opened the door, and called, "Mom? Brooke? I'm home!" 

"Hey honey!" her mother called from the kitchen. 

Val walked into the kitchen and smelled a sweet aroma. "Hey, Mom." She gave her mom a hug. "Whatcha cooking?"

"Spaghetti," her mother said.

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[Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong]

"I'll go get the door," Val said to her mother.

"Okay."

She opened the door. "Are you a Miss Valerie Lanier?" a man in a florist uniform asked her, kind of gruffly. 

"Yes."

"These are for you." He handed her yet another bouquet. But this one wasn't of roses. It was a wildflower arrangement. It was very attractive. 

"Thank you," Val responded politely. She closed the door before looking for the card. She found it and began to read, hoping against hope that it wasn't another anonymous bouquet. "Sorry I stopped calling you. Let me make it up to you at my house around eight. Love always, Tyler." Val muttered under her breath. Well, I guess that means that he doesn't have a girlfriend if he wants to make it up to me, she thought. I'm going to go.

Mrs. Lanier's famous spaghetti dinner was to die for. Val enjoyed it so much. Between mouthfuls, Val managed to ask, "Where's Brooke?" before shoveling another forkful of spaghetti into her mouth.

"She's on duty late at the EMS station." Brooke had followed in her sister's footsteps and had become an EMT when she was of age, too. She enjoyed it and planned to be a doctor of some sort, just like Val.

"Oh okay." She helped her mother clean the kitchen before heading to her room to change at seven. She didn't want to go to Tyler's looking like _this._ She rummaged through her suitcases until she found what she was looking for: a light green v-neck tank top with khaki shirt and tan platform slip-on sandals. She had kept her hair short and had curled it like everyone liked. She put some light make-up on and within forty-five minutes was heading out of the house and to her car. 

  
Tyler waited by the front door, fifteen minutes early, hoping against hope that Val was going to show up…

Val drove her silver VW bug down the road to the ritzy area of Kingsport where Tyler lived. She spotted his enormous house almost as soon as she turned the corner down his street. She pulled up in the driveway, and got out of her car slowly. She walked up the front steps to the door and rang the doorbell, waiting for Tyler to open the door for her and invite her in.

Tyler jumped at the sound of the doorbell ringing. She was five minutes early. But maybe it's not her, he thought frantically. Even if it is, I don't want to seem as if I was waiting for her to arrive like I have been. He waited a few seconds until he couldn't stand it anymore and he opened the door. There stood Val Lanier, looking more beautiful than ever. "Val - hi." He stepped out onto the porch to give her a soft kiss on the cheek. "Come with me." He took her hand and pulled a bewildered Val through his house to the living room, where he dropped her hand. He picked up a remote and pushed a button. Val heard slow music begin to play: 

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"If I were a painter, mixing my colors

How could I ever find the blue of your eyes?

The canvas could never

Capture the light of your smile, of your smile

And girl if I were a sculptor, working in marble

I couldn't hope it to be a perfect face

The curve of your body, the feel of your skin,

My hands could never, ever trace

So I'll try and find a melody as beautiful as you…"

As the music began to play, Tyler walked toward Val and put his hands on her waist. Val took the hint and silently put her hands around his neck. They danced in silence and soon heard another slow song begin to play:

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"Where's that love, and happiness?

Never seems to stand up baby, when you put it to the test yeah

You say that you're a poet, that your life's a work of art, 

But you can't be loved by numbers baby, you gotta play it all by heart

Baby, baby, baby…You making me go crazy and if you call that love

Then love should be a crime.

Honesty bites the dust, every time I hear you sayin' love is never lost, yeah

Did you read it in a book, did you see it in a magazine?

Do you think that I'm some new ex-fool do you think I'm so nieve…

Baby, baby, baby, baby…You making me go crazy, and if you call that love

Then love should be a crime"

Val pulled her face away from Tyler's a moment while another song droned on, and she looked deep into his eyes for the longest time.

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"…You I'd fight for you, but how can I fight someone that isn't even there?

I've had the rest of you, now I want the best of you I don't care if that's not fair…

'Cuz I want it all, or nothing at all

There's nowhere left to fall, when you reach the bottom

It's now or never

Is it all, or are we just friends? Is this how it ends with a simple telephone call

You leave me here with nothing at all…

There are times it seems to me, I'm sharing you with memories,

I feel it in my heart but I don't show it, show it,

Then there's times you look at me as though I'm all that you can see,

Those times I don't believe it's right, I know it, know it…"

Val realized that they'd been dancing silently through almost three songs now, and demanded in a voice barely above a whisper, "Tyler what's going on?"

He pulled his head back and put a finger to Val's lips and said, "Sshh, just listen to the music."

Bewildered, she agreed. "Okay."

Another song changed on and Tyler began to sing softly in Val's ear: 

"Would I walk through fire just to be with you? Be with you yeah

Would I cross an ocean just to hold you, yeah

Would I give all I had to see you smile, see you smile

Would I walk through Heaven I think twice…

Baby I would, baby I will, baby I'd do that gladly…"

"Tyler, what's all this about?" Val interrupted Tyler's singing. 

He looked at her and said, "I felt bad that I stopped calling you while we were at college. The thing is though, is that I remembered what you had told me before you left for college too. You said that you didn't want to stand in my way. After I talked to you a couple times, you sounded so stressed and tired, and almost as though you didn't want to talk to me. I thought back to what you said, and didn't want to stand in your way either." A sad look came over his face.

"Tyler, I sounded exhausted because I was taking three other courses than almost everyone else. It's not that I didn't want to talk to, believe me. I was so disappointed when you stopped calling. I thought maybe you had a girlfriend and didn't want to tell me about it."

"Val, you know that I wouldn't do that to you," Tyler protested. "There's no one else for me in this world, and you know it." 

__

"Baby I would, baby I will, 

Baby I'd do that gladly…

Be all you need, do anything

To make you have faith

Baby I could, baby I can

Do anything you ask me

Baby I can, baby I could, baby I would…"

Tyler took his arms off of Val's waist and went down on one knee. "Tyler, what are you doing?" Val asked.

After he knelt down, he took one of Val's hands in his and asked, "Val, I know we've had some rough spots, and we will have rough spots, but we have and always will be able to jump over them," he began, the said, "Val, will you marry me?"

Val looked down at Tyler's face, tremendously surprised at what he was doing. "Yes. Yes I'll marry you!" 

Tyler stood up and gave Val a passionate kiss on the lips. 

"Tyler, is this the way you make it up to every girl?" 

"Nope, only you."

- Okay, I know it's mushy, but I've got more exciting stuff coming up, I promise you. Also, to everyone who's wondering, I am a huge O-Town fan and every song featured in this chapter O-Town sings. Well, hope you enjoyed! I'm working on chapter two for "Behind the Scenes" and "Cry for Help" as well as chapter seventeen for this story. Please review! I'm begging you (I know, isn't that pathetic?) - Chilly Penguin

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	17. Collisions and Crossroads

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters that are featured in this story

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters that are featured in this story. Also, no profit is being made.

Author's Note: Thanks to all who have read my story. To Momo Claus, I have to admit that I think Ashley Angel from O-Town is quite hot. So are Dan Miller and Erik-Michael Estrada and they cal sing really good too. Just thought that I would clear that bit up. Anyway, I know this is like the story that goes on forever, but that's okay. Keep reading, readers!

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Chapter 17 "Collisions"

They had had a beautiful, almost fairy-tale wedding seven months from the day Tyler proposed to Val. White roses were placed throughout the church and reception hall, and it looked simply perfect. Val glowed in her billowing wedding dress. She looked absolutely glorious. Brooke was her maid of honor for the wedding, Hank the best man. Jamie escorted the newly engaged Catie Roth, one of Val's bridesmaids, down the isle, and Dean Klofke walked Heather Stillmore down the isle. After they said their vows, and the Paster pronounced them husband and wife, they engaged in their most heated kiss. They just couldn't wait to spend the rest of their lives together. Their honeymoon had been in a log cabin near a lake in Tennessee. It was simply marvelous. They relaxed, and enjoyed each other's company. 

They were back from their honeymoon now, and settled into a beautiful house in the country just outside Kingsport. Val and Tyler worked as pediatricians and enjoyed it immensely. Val was now eight and a half months pregnant, and couldn't be happier. She was sitting at the kitchen table having a glass of juice when Tyler came home, walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "How are you doing, honey?" he asked her affectionately.

"I'm fine."

"How's Baby doing?" he asked as he rubbed her belly.

"Baby's fine, Tyler," she said, giving him a smile. "She's been moving all day." They knew that it was a girl, and they were going to name her Carrie. 

Two weeks later, she and Tyler were snuggling and watching TV when her water broke. Tyler knew what to do. He helped up Val and helped her make her way to the car. He carefully rushed to the hospital and she gave birth to happy, healthy, Baby Carrie. When the nurse brought Carrie to Val, her face - and Tyler's - had an expression of pure joy. Val couldn't believe that she and Tyler had created such a gorgeous little girl. Tyler carefully touched Carrie's wiggling toes, and she made a cooing sound. 

"Hey, Daddy, look at your little girl. Look how pretty she is." Val looked down at Carrie.

"She's going to be pretty just like her mommy," was his happy response. Val cradled the baby lovingly in her arms and smiled at the father of her child, her devoted and loving husband. He got up and kissed her on the lips as they both held their child…

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THREE YEARS LATER

Frustrated, Val pounded the steering wheel. She had promised Tyler she would be there to pick up him and Carrie. He had gone up to Cape Cod to visit his grandmother a week ago, and Val hadn't been able to come because she had the flu. As soon as the light turned green, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator. All of a sudden, she saw brake lights turn on. It was too late. She heard the sound of a train as it bounded down the tracks. Then all she heard was the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass as she crashed into the car in front of her going seventy-five miles per hour. And then all was black.

She heard sirens in the background. Then she felt a hand go around her wrist, checking for a pulse. She tried to move, but couldn't. She was sandwiched in her car so tightly. She heard the sound of someone trying to pry open her car door, and then felt someone gently maneuver her out of the car and put her on a stretcher. The ambulance she was in rushed over the extremely bumpy roads as the paramedics kept her steady. And then she fell asleep.

Tyler Connell and his two-year-old daughter, Carrie, had been standing in the airport for over five hours. He had tried continuously calling the house but there was no answer every time. Tyler was now frantic with worry. Where could she be? He picked up his daughter and placed her on his hip as he went over to the payphone to try and call his house one more time to see if Val was there.

He heard it ring twice and then heard the receiver being picked up. "Hello?" came a man's voice.

"Hello. I'm Tyler Connell. Who are you?"

"I'm John Mercy. I am sheriff of the Kingsport police. May I ask why you are calling?"

"I'm Tyler Connell. I'm Val Connell's husband. I've been trying to get ahold of her. Why are you in my house? What's wrong?"

He heard a sigh come from the other end of the phone. "I'm sorry to say, Mr. Connell, that your wife has been in a tragic accident. We're guessing that she was on her way to pick you up at the airport based on what we saw on the calendar. I suggest you rent a car or something and get back here as soon as possible. She's in the intensive care unit of Trinity Hospital."

Tyler felt silent tears drip from his chin. "I'll be there right away," he whispered and hung up the phone. He then went and quickly rented a car and raced to Trinity Hospital. He opened the front door and went to the reception desk. He said to the nurse that was minding it, "I'm Tyler Connell. I'm here to go see my wife, Val. She's in the intensive care unit."

"Ah yes, the police told me to be expecting you. She's on the tenth floor in room 645."  
  
"Thanks," Tyler muttered as he hurried away, his daughter in tow.

He barged into the elevator and soared to the tenth floor. Once there, he walked down the hall until he saw the door to room 645. He slowly and quietly opened the door to find a bruised and cut Val lying in the hospital bed with an IV stuck in her arm. She looked to be between being conscious and unconscious. He went over to the bed and knelt down beside it. He took Val's hand in his and whispered her name. She opened her eyes a little and said, "Tyler…" as a smile played her lips. She slipped her hand from his and sat up. She went to move her legs from the bed, then, alarmed, shrieked, "I can't move my legs!!"

~ So, what do you guys think? Please review! ~ 


	18. Are There Always Rainbows at the End?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters that are featured in this story

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters that are featured in this story.

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long. I'm concentrating on writing as Peachy Keen right now in the O-Town section, so if you're a fan of O-Town or maybe a fan of my writing, I'd appreciate it if you would check this out. Okay, "Witness" fans, I'm sorry, but I could make this go on forever, but I'm not going to because it's already incredibly long and in case you didn't notice from my lack of updating, I'm getting kind of tired of writing that story. Sorry guys! Anyway, I think I will continue with "Cries for Help" but it may take a while. Sorry. Anyway, on with the last chapter of "Witness." I warn you, it's a bad ending, but will definitely add some more closure to the story, okay? Oh, and please disregard the corny name of the chapter, I couldn't think of anything else. 

CHAPTER 18: ARE THERE ALWAYS RAINBOWS AT THE END?

"I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Valerie Lanier-Connell screamed over and over at the top of her lungs. "I can't feel my legs!"

"Sshh, honey, calm down," her husband, Tyler Connell said, trying to calm and comfort her, but inwards wanting to explode himself.

Val calmed down a little, yet tears began to fall silently down her cheeks. She whimpered. "I can't feel my legs," she managed to say somewhat hysterically between sobs that choked her throat. "I can't feel my legs."

A few feet away, Carrie Connell, Val and Tyler's three-year-old daughter, eyed them worriedly. She'd ever seen her Mommy like that before and it scared her. 

Tyler looked over at Carrie, her eyes wide. He left his wife for a minute to go over to Carrie and pick her up in a huge hug. "It's gonna be okay, sweetie," her murmured while stroking her blonde hair. "It's gonna be okay." It sounded as though he were trying to comfort himself along with his frightened daughter. 

"What's wrong wif Mommy?" she asked her dad uncertainly. "Why is she in tat white bed looking all sick?"

"Because, honey, Mommy was in a bad car accident. She can't feel her legs and she's hurting pretty bad." He paused, and looked over at Val and then back at Carrie. "Why don't you go give Mommy a hug while Daddy talks to the nice doctor, okay?" he said to her soothingly as he carefully laid Carrie on the bed next to her mother.

He turned around and was about to leave the room to go find a doctor when he turned around and saw Carrie say to Val, "Mommy, it's gonna be okay. Peas don't cry." She leaned in and gave her mother a worried yet loving hug. Tyler smiled at the sight and turned around. He walked out into the hallway no sooner than a man stepped up t him. "Are you Mr. Connell?" he asked professionally with a face of stone, showing absolutely no emotion. 

"Yes. Yes I am." Tyler's anguished face looked into the unfeeling eyes before him.

"I'm Dr. Tim Chester." He extended his hand and Tyler wearily shook it.

"What's wrong with my wife?" he demanded quietly. No authority was apparent in his voice.

"I'm afraid the car accident she was in gave conveyed extremely serious damage to her lower body," he said slowly. 

"And?" Tyler pushed him along.

"And I'm afraid that she will no longer have any use of her body from the lower back down."

Tyler looked at the man. "Paralyzed?" 

"Correct. This can be made easier for her though."

"How?" Tyler whispered anxiously.

"Well, you can get a physical therapist that will help her muscles remain strong and to make sure she doesn't get any diseases in her legs, such as Gang Green from the circulation being cut off in her legs. That will ensure a most comfortable life, considering she won't be able to do certain things."

"Uh-huh," Tyler grunted in understanding.

The doctor went on, "I also suggest that she go back to a normal life. Go back to work, cook meals, and she can still have children if you care to have more. She will be able to continue being a loving mother. Mostly though, you just have to concentrate on getting her self-esteem and motivation back up where it should be and she'll be back to acting like herself in no time."

"Okay, when can she leave?"

"In a few days. We have to do a couple tests first."

"Okay."

He walked back into the room and a few hours later, he and Carrie trudged out into the night and back home.

ONE YEAR LATER

One year later, Val Lanier-Connell found herself pregnant, and once again bright and happy. Tyler had made that last year so wonderful for her considering she was stuck in a wheelchair. A couple times she'd fallen deathly ill, but she'd bounced back once again. She was still going to work and although she often got questioned as to how and why she was now in a wheelchair and hadn't been before was asked quite often. She didn't mind anymore. It was a lot easier to talk about now. 

A couple months later, after a very long, and strenuous labor, Val gave birth to a healthy and rosy-cheeked baby boy, whom they named Ryan. 

And although this is a very corny ending to this otherwise perfectly uncorny story, they lived happily ever after in their home in Kingsport.

~ I know it's bad. I know it's short. And I'm sorry, but I'm glad its over. Would still appreciate the reviews. Would like it also if someone would continue my story "Behind the Scenes". Anyone who liked it is more than welcome to finish it for me and take the credit because I am fresh out of ideas for that one, but people like it and want it to continue, so go right ahead! Anyway, please review. ~ 


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